


Only Justice will Bring Peace

by A_Toasted_Cheese_and_tomato_sandwich



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Firelord Zuko (Avatar), Gen, How to Firelord?, Hurt Zuko (Avatar), My First Fanfic, NGL wrote that scene just for giggles, Politics, Post-100 Year War (Avatar TV), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, SHHHH ignore the comics, Stress levels higher than his bank balance, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, after the war, also homophobes get hurt, chosen family, it's time for a gay revolution
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:00:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27950393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Toasted_Cheese_and_tomato_sandwich/pseuds/A_Toasted_Cheese_and_tomato_sandwich
Summary: The new Firelord has taken power, fantastic, what makes him different? The powerful have always preyed on the powerless that's what makes them powerful in the first place. At least that is the view of those who have been trampled for the last hundred years who now find it within them to begin to fight.The Firelord himself, learning to heal a nation must find a way to pull his culture out of the mess that his predecessors created and instigate change, this starts at the root, as all firebending does.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	1. Wake up

The room was so hot, just like everything in this stupid city. The back of Sokka’s legs were sticking to the chair as he shifted uncomfortably, you would think that the chair would be better seeing as it was in a literal palace but no, the hard, unbreathing wood crushed his spine and stuck to his legs. He had been sitting there for ages watching, waiting in vain. Zuko was still out cold, had been for four days now and Sokka had promised Uncle Iroh that he would watch Zuko for him while he saw to those things that had to be done once a revolution had taken place. And so he sat, in this uncomfortable chair, for four days, watching that unmoving figure before him, fully aware he was looking like he had been dragged through the swamp backward, but he watched.

Zuko looked considerably worse, the bolt of lightning that tore through him had completely destroyed some of his vital organ’s function and Katara had been working tirelessly to heal him and although she had told them all that the main danger was over and they just needed to wait for him to wake up he still looked awful. Sokka hadn’t realized how much weight he had lost in the weeks prior but he supposed that the stress of reuniting with Uncle, the impending invasion, and Katara’s cooking had taken its toll. There was no point in thinking about that now with his scar sticking strongly out from the contrast of his almost white skin and midnight hair and the bandages that he was practically swaddled in seemed to draw the eye like an unavoidable truth. 

Sokka was in the middle of these ponderings when a polite but firm knock from the door shocked him out of his own mind, he was not used to such politeness.  
‘Come in’ it was such a stupid statement like you’ve walked halfway across this massive castle only to be turned away by someone who shouldn’t even be here, as much as a water tribe peasant belonged in the Crown Prince of the Firenation’s room. The door squeaked heralding the arrival of a nondescript servant who didn’t really know how to address Sokka. ‘General Iroh, Dragon of the West for you, er, Sir?’  
The servant really needn't have bothered with a pompous introduction, Uncle came barreling in and wrapped Sokka in a hug, the old man’s traveling clothes were coarse against Sokka’s cheek, smelling of dust, tea, and a little sweat.  
‘Thank you for watching over him, son’ Uncle sounded a little teary and very tired but nevertheless he plonked down in the chair next to Sokka in a way only someone of a considerable size can and began brushing the hair out of Zuko’s face while his eyes examined with vigor every part of him. They stayed a long time like this, occasionally Iroh’s despair would leak into his breath, like a mantra these words spilled over his son, his nephew, and Sokka, who was now crying.

He wasn’t sure why, but his sleeves grew wet as he pawed at his face, standing, he excused himself and practically ran, falling onto the scratch of the sleeping mat in the next room he finally allowed himself to lose it, all of the stress and pain of these last days, weeks, this whole year came pouring out of him as he choked on insignificance and frustration. It was a while before he felt someone rubbing his back, looking up to see Toph, for once without a scowl or a punch, crying herself. They did not speak, for they did not need to as Toph and Sokka fell slowly into a dreamless sleep. 

He was awakened by the sun, shining through the translucent curtains directly into his eyes, that or the dainty footsteps in the corridor outside. The door slammed back as Sokka tripped into Zuko’s room terrified of an imposter, looking half-crazed but Mai, like always, was painfully blank. She delicately stepped around Uncle’s sleeping form in the chair next to the bed, and dropped a scroll, with a wax seal on the side table.  
‘Do me a favor, and don’t tell him you saw me’ her drawling voice unbothered and dull, and then she was just gone, not knowing what to do he sat next to Iroh and watched, holding his breath, just like the whole world. 

He hadn’t realized he zoned out until he was yanked back to the present by a shallow, sharp breath, he looked up and a gold eye looked back. 

He was awake.


	2. Running

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shi escapes from their burning town and the devastation caused by those who do not show compassion is put on display as they lose part of their family

TW: a super brief mention of Rape

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Shi’s singed clothes stuck to them as they crawled back through the window, the day of Sozin’s comet had been hell, the capital city had been attacked by the Avatar and Earth armies, while the invaders were more concerned with the Firelord or Phoenix King or whatever in Agni he was called now, hell broke loose on the civilians. In the Firenation brutality was seen as a lack of weakness and cruelty power, so when the invaders came the shadowless army began to prowl. 

Shi thought ‘The Shadowless Army’ was a brilliant name for what was essentially a Militia of terrorists, whenever any kind of destruction came, they were out in force looking for shops to raid, enemies to kill and women to rape, and last night may as well had been a shadowless festival. Many of them were retired and injured soldiers who wanted to feel as if they had any kind of power left and therefore last night the firebenders had been overpowered and the normies armed to the teeth, making people suffer. Their city seemed unrecognizable as the sun dipped below the horizon.

The decrepit Sonshitsu district had been the hardest hit, threadbare curtains in windowless ships caught fire as the sky did too, Shi thought that the world was ending, they watched their life almost end before adrenaline pulled them out. Sprinting past the dead or the dying, past those who now had no one to go home to, or love, past those who now knew they would starve within a week, with single-minded poise the soldier ran towards the last hiding place, where their family would have either been killed or was waiting, the carnage around them meant nothing to the fear in their heart. Their long fingers now burned from the melting grip of their Father’s sword, if only he was alive to watch them wealth it in defense of their family.

Shi’s family was not one to be marked on scrolls with gilded edges or to be remembered in songs, all of them were runaways who had been disowned for compromising their families’ honor with who they are or whom they love, Shi was the unofficial leader. The day had been hell and the soldier’s body was crosshatched with wounds, but it didn’t stop them cursing as they fell through the second-floor window, and dropping into the first floor, Shi never got used to that. 

As they lay gasping on the ground, unable to really breathe and too tired to get up they watched dust cloud around black boots as gentle arms sat up the exhausted figure. 

Ikari was almost unrecognizable through the mask of ash, but his eyes gave him away, the silver glinted with worry as he took Shi’s shirt already ridding their shoulder of the chunk or doorway a shadowless had lodged there. His eyes trailed tears and he pulled Shi into a hug or a hold for dear life onto something they both knew. The healer saved the soldier, but no more came. Ikari left his bangle, the whistle that would summon him on the pillow next to Shi, as though he would ever need it, and went to search for the others. 

Chained to the flaw this exhaustion and pain Shi could do nothing but sleep, restless and pained but there was nothing they could do as the blood dried on their wounds and the stars began appearing through the window a floor above, casting the glow of the moon on what was left of Sonshitsu. Their chest heaved and their arms sprang up when an old man knelt over them, although he seemed harmless a decade of training had not left Shi, putting his large hands over his cheeks he held him still and spoke words of peace and calm. 

Lifting Shi up he asked them not for their name but for where it hurt most, gesturing to their stomach the old man began working with deft fingers, Shi’s own hands were warmed by the tea that seemed to simply appear there and they felt a little at ease. The old man finished stitching up his stomach and then asked if he would be permitted to change their bandages. The soldier receded into their own mind of worry until the old man’s voice cracked open the silence.  
‘You’re Yuyan?’ he seemed only a little stunned, finguring the tattoo that graced Shi's Shoulder, ‘Was’ choked Shi, the man asked no further questions but while he was packing away his tea set he passed them a Pai Sho tile, fingering the Lotus pattern in their hand the man simply said  
‘Come to the burning lake bar and ask for Iroh, give them that tile of you ever should need me again’  
And just like that, he was gone and Shi’s eyes sliped closed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, the angst,  
> don't worry it only gets angstier, I know this is a bit of a slow start but once it gets going this fic will get going, also if you want to completely spoil the story for you go translate their names from Japanese, or don't I don't care.  
> Yes, I stole the Idea of Shi being a Yuyan Archer from the fantastic Dragon of Yuyan series that you need to go and read right now but I won't steal any more of that characterization going further. I hope you enjoyed and please comment with any ideas/opinions, anything is appreciated, have a wonderful rest of your day and please, do some self-care,  
> xoxo  
> Nyx


	3. Begin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko begins Firelording and boy, oh boy does he have some work to do

The FIrelord was crowned, Zuko was shocked by how little that little crown weighed as he stood looking out at his new subjects. The anxiety he felt was coursing through his veins as he spoke of rebuilding, of growing, of becoming something so much more than the deadly invaders. As the applause echoed around the massive courtyard and the Avatar’s robes swished past him it hit him that that this was how he wished to be remembered and that if he died now then he wished to be remembered as a change maker. It wasn’t until he sat in the unnerving heat of the council chamber, with flames a veil in front of him that he realized the impossibility of the task.

The forty men of the phoenix council were all from the war council and had served his father, none of them liked Zuko, hated would be the more appropriate word, not that they were allowed to show it. But the loathing came coursing through their eyes as each spoke, savoring their moment in front of the new Firelord, the sun had dropped low before the twenty-first even began to speak. The words they spoke were of continuation, of the reinvading of the earth kingdom, one had even drawn up the next battle plans, some others spoke of the reparations necessary to the aristocracy for the deposing of Firelord Ozai. Zuko felt the bile rise in his throat but he could not speak, the first of many times he would curse these customs. By the time the fortieth had pledged allegiance at the end of the speech midnight had struck, but Zuko didn’t care because it was his turn now.

‘My Lords, I feel, after listening to your comments the need for me to state something quite plain that I am frankly astounded you have not figured out for yourselves. I am Firelord Zuko, I overthrew my father with the help of the Avatar Aang and his companions not to continue this bloody and pointless war but to end it, we will not attack any part of the other three kingdoms, we will withdraw all troops and forces at once and peacefully and none of you will be allowed to continue the brutality that this nation has become accustomed.’

The room seemed to drop several degrees and the air was filled with the sound of forty great lords shuffling back from the Firelord, the flames didn’t even flinch as Zuko walked through them, his frustration evident on his face. 

‘I will give you all one more chance, tomorrow we will have a repeat of this meeting and each of you, with your allotted time will speak of ways to change our country, to bring the other nations to a place in which we may speak of peace and you will bring me the issues, the real issues of the common people’ 

The door slammed behind him and all his confidence with it, the slightly shaky, sixteen-year-old Frelord now followed slightly meekly behind the servant who was leading him to his next meeting, Agni another? The last one took the better part of ten hours, but no matter, saying a quick prayer for brevity before he entered the next room only to find,  
‘Uncle!’ there seemed to be nothing in the world that would have restored his spirits better than being wrapped in those arms and pinned to that stomach. The tea warmed his hands and Uncle’s voice was washing over him, already interrogating him about the first meeting, Zuko didn’t realize he had the energy to go on such a rant, but like all sixteen-year-olds his anger at injustice was palpable and all-encompassing but, of course, Iroh had an answer.  
‘Nephew, might you consider reviewing the actual laws of our nation, done by someone who shares your expectation for peace?’   
It was like someone had just slapped Zuko with a cold, wet pile of epiphany, he needed to actually look at how the people of his nation are judged instead of fighting with the lords that would never do anything for him. Agni Uncle is amazing.

That night, when he woke up screaming, instead of going out on the roof or to the turtleduck pond, he called for a maid, the tiny girl shivered with fright as the Firelord asked for some scrolls of the law please, she seemed unaccustomed to the word please. Twenty minutes later three, large crates were carried into his room and left by the small desk and Zuko sat down. Picking one at random he began making notes on the blank scroll on his lap. When the sun began peeking through the curtains he had to wash his hands for the ink that now stained them before meditating.

This time he walked into the council chamber ready.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Few, this is really just a filler chapter, Zuko's half of the story really doesn't get kicking until later on so it's pretty short and yes I will use Uncle as the solver of every issue ever because Uncle Iroh is the parental figure I need in my life. The next chapter will be pretty heavy so just prepare yourself for that, Shi and Ikari are not the only ones from the gay resistance to have survived so Yay! anyway have a truly crackalackin existence and eat some vegetables,  
> xoxo  
> Nyx

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you are enjoying this, please leave Kudos and leave me some suggestions!


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